Footwear with a removable sole



Nov. 7, 1950 w. EPSZTEJN FOOTWEAR WITH A REMOVABLE SOLE Filed Sept. 8,194s Wulf Epszt )2 By n I Aaewrs Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATESPATENT @FFiCE FOOTWEAR WITH A REMOVABLE SOLE Wulf Epsztcjn, Brussels,Belgium Application September 8, 1948, Serial No. 48,193 In BelgiumNovember 27, 1947 2 Claims.

The present invention has for its object to provide a new footwearwhich, on the one hand, avoids the necessity of using complicated andcostly machines and, on the other hand, produces footwear having variousadvantages, notably that of having an easily interchangeable sole.

According to the present invention the upper part of the footwearcomprising upper carried on the insole is manufactured separately fromthe lower part comprising the sole and the heel and each of these parts,is provided at the sole and at the heel with means of attachment wherebythe lower part can be fixed to the upper part in a detachable manner.

Thus not only is the need for the machines usually employed to sew orfix the sole to the upper rendered unnecessary, but the replacement ofthe sole becomes very simple and can be easily carried out by the wearerhimself. The latter can, at will, for example according to the season orfashion, adapt different soles or lower parts to the same upper, ordifferent uppers to the same lower part. When it is necessary to repairone of the parts, the footwear is not out of use since a replacement ofthe part to be repaired by a new part can be done instantaneously. Theinvention also gives the possibility of using in the manufacture offootwear, materials which up to the present have not been capable of useon the ground that they do not lend themselves to assembly by the usualmethods (nails, sewing or glue).

On the attached drawings which show, by way of example, two embodimentsof the present invention,

Figures 1 and 2 show a partial section and an underplan View of theupper part of the footwear and its means of assembly.

Figures 3 and 4 show by a plan View and a section the lower part of thisfootwear, indicating in Figure 3 the movement required to assemble thetwo parts; the section of Figure 4 being taken along the broken lineIV-IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows, in partial section, the same footwear assembled.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 the upper part comprising theupper 11, and the first sole b and the lower part comprising the sole 0and the heel d are provided with means of assembly, the engagement anddisengagement of which are effected by applying a relative pivotalmovement to the two parts.

To this end the insole b is provided with a pivot e and carries a plateI provided with eccentric hooks g whilst the sole 0, reinforced by aplate h, has a hole 1 to receive the pivot e and eccentric slots 9' inwhich the hooks g engage when there is imparted to one of the parts,placed on the other, a rotary movement as indicated in Figure 3. Thissame movement engages a lip R: on the first sole in a slot Z in theplate h and a button m on the first sole in a keyhole slot n in thelower part and brings a screw hole 0 in the 2. first sole 1) intoregister with a, threaded hole 10 provided in the heel d in order toenable the two parts to be definitely connected together by means of ascrew q.

In order to detach the two parts it is sufiicient to unscrew this screwand to turn one part with respect to the other in the oppositedirection.

The sole may be provided around its outer edge with water tight jointsto prevent the entrance of moisture.

It will be obvious that modifications can be made in the means ofattachment without departing from the scope of the invention. It isimportant, however, that these means be disposed suitably, that is tosay on the one hand on the sole, and on the other hand on the heel insuch a manner that the lower part may be made of materials having thesuppleness and the flexibility required for quality of footwear, andthat moreover perfect contact be maintained between the two parts justas if they were sewn or nailed in the usual manner.

The lower part can also be made in two parts, the sole and the heel thenbeing independently fixed to the upper part.

I claim:

1. Footwear having an upper part comprising an upper and an insolesecured together, a lower part comprising a sole and a heel securedtogether, and means of attachment for detachably connecting said partstogether, said means comprising eccentric hooks on the sole portion ofone of said parts, co-operating slots on the sole portion of the otherof said parts, and fixing means comprising co-operating threaded memberson the heel portions of both said parts.

2. Footwear having an upper part comprising an upper and an insole, alower part comprising a sole and a heel, and means of attachment fordetachably connecting said parts together, said means comprisingeccentric hooks arranged spiral fashion around a center and the soleportion of one of said parts, co-operating slots similarly arranged onthe sole portion of the other of said parts, mutually co-operatingabutment members near the tip of both said sole portions, and fixingmeans comprising co-operating threaded members on the heel portions ofboth said parts.

WULF EPSZTEJ N.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

